What are your 'fringe' political ideas?

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
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Bear,
I had breakfast yesterday with Dogrib story teller. We discussed various medicine people we knew and some of the amazing things we witnessed and experienced with them. To me the traditional ways are still valid today and can work within the dominant culture.

Dominant culture - seems like an oxymoron to me to call it culture. And the politics of that "culture" is about corruption and control. I have no use for it.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Ontario
Bear,
I had breakfast yesterday with Dogrib story teller. We discussed various medicine people we knew and some of the amazing things we witnessed and experienced with them. To me the traditional ways are still valid today and can work within the dominant culture.
I agree and have taken much flack from both sides of the argument for such ideals. I was raised traditionalist's, my paternal Grand Parents. I have a completely different mindset then the bulk of my "generation". Not to mention the fact that my Grand Father was a Military man. Serving the common good, was without a doubt the core of his beliefs. Yes, socialist in nature, without the bankruptcy of modern socialism. It's actually communalism. When applied equally and without greed, it is a wonderful and splendid thing. All the people working to better the population. What a novel concept. :-?

Dominant culture - seems like an oxymoron to me to call it culture. And the politics of that "culture" is about corruption and control. I have no use for it.
Neither do I.
 

El Barto

les fesses a l'aire
Feb 11, 2007
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haha geting flack from both side might mean your on to something ......or totally off your rocker
 

El Barto

les fesses a l'aire
Feb 11, 2007
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A bit aside of the topicand just an opinion.

To me a political leader or any other field is not one that has the great ideas but one that can bring out great ideas from those around him/her.
 

ironsides

Executive Branch Member
Feb 13, 2009
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"I agree, in fact, when I say no forced combat, I mean, that anyone conscripted, could not be forced to participate in any combat. Nore be forced to train in combat rolls. They would learn cursory weapons skills, much like the Canadian Cadet Corp. The bulk of their service would entail training, regimentation, discipline and comradeship."

No point in wasting training in the military and say if a situation arises you can go into some safe place. Somebody will have to take that persons place. Waste of a person, better they go into a 'Peace Corp" type org. if they want to do something. The military is not something to fool around with, peoples lives can be lost. Every person who goes into the military should expect that their lives may someday be put in jeopardy.
N point in wasting
 

El Barto

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Feb 11, 2007
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"I agree, in fact, when I say no forced combat, I mean, that anyone conscripted, could not be forced to participate in any combat. Nore be forced to train in combat rolls. They would learn cursory weapons skills, much like the Canadian Cadet Corp. The bulk of their service would entail training, regimentation, discipline and comradeship."

No point in wasting training in the military and say if a situation arises you can go into some safe place. Somebody will have to take that persons place. Waste of a person, better they go into a 'Peace Corp" type org. if they want to do something. The military is not something to fool around with, peoples lives can be lost. Every person who goes into the military should expect that their lives may someday be put in jeopardy.
N point in wasting
Point taken.
Not all battles are of an agressive nature tho.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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No point in wasting training in the military and say if a situation arises you can go into some safe place. Somebody will have to take that persons place. Waste of a person, better they go into a 'Peace Corp" type org. if they want to do something. The military is not something to fool around with, peoples lives can be lost. Every person who goes into the military should expect that their lives may someday be put in jeopardy.
N point in wasting
What EB says Ironsides.

Point taken.
Not all battles are of an agressive nature tho.

Like I said, you can apply the Cadet model to a division of the Army. With those willing to serve their nation in a whole manner, they can apply to join the regular services, immediately, during their obligatory service or post.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
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That would make us into Presidential type of democracy, like they have in USA. Then Parliament won’t necessarily do what PM wants it to do, it will be a coequal branch with the Prime minister.

There is nothing wrong with that, it is just a different type of government. Anyway, it will never fly in Canada, once people realize that it is an American idea. Canadians have this morbid fear of blindly following anything American.

Hi Sir Joseph Porter. So what's your fringe idea? Come on, I'm sure you must beleive in something, even just one little thing, that might be supported by less than 50% of the population?
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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A thing that I see that is really not working , here and in the U.S. is this partisan bull****.
How can you get to an honest conclusion of things when its all about image and ploys to keep their jobs?
The ordinary citizen suffers for it and its so sick we thank them for it !!!!!
How stupid is that?

Now I would love to go the non-partisan path. I'm not saying ban political parties, but make them unofficial,unacknowledged by the government. The ballot would mention the names of candidates, but not parties. There'd be no party caucuses, just a caucus of the whole. And the PM would be elected by the MPs in an open vote. Something similar to what they have in Nunavut. Those Inuit are on to something, and the political parties have every reason to feel thretened by Nunavut's government to which all run and are elected as independents.
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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My fringe political plan would be that in order to vote and participation a countries political system that you must put in 3 years in the military, 3 years working to restore poor neighborhoods within you country or do a 3 year hitch with a peace corps type organization.

Without any of these, you would have to pay stiff fines to do things the rest take for granted. marriage permit, have a child tax, no voting under any circumstances. Limit political parties to 3. Could be a lot more. Every person will have to understand that freedom does and will not be free, but is earned. Break laws and freedom is lost.

Might be a good idea. We could always debate whether it ought to be 1 year, or 2, or 3, or 4, etc. But the idea I like. I also like the fact that you build options into it so that no one can turn around and say that they refuse because of their beliefs; What? The Peace Corp goes against your beliefs? As long as various options are presented, it's flexible, etc., what would be the opposition? If a person objects on some moral dilemma, we ask him what it is, modify the plan for him, and then watch him squirm as he tries to find another excuse.

But overall, I think that would definitely be a fringe idea in Canada. I could be wrong.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
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Actually a peace Corp type of idea could have a number of advantages:

1. helps create work in recessions.

2. Provides new job skills.

3. Can help developing countries and so build new relations with different nations.

Character building, depending on the internal culture of the organization of course, of whichI know little.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
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Another option could be a year of volunteer service with an organization of yor choice before a certain age. A Peace Corp could be one option, or if you choose a non-government one, then you must report it with the government along with proof that you did it. This could give many options too.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
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"Slim government to more efficient levels. How is that fringe? Have you ever come across anyone oppose making government more efficient?'

Yep, the majority of people who expect "Gov't" to provide services and do most everything for them.

True. Many do see suggestions of improved efficiency as an attack against sacred cows. I was once called every manner of name for opposing Official Bilingualism once. When I'd pointed out I'm francohone myself, then they started saying I was lying. Once I'd started using French, they started complaining that they couldn't understand me. When I'd switched back to English, they started praising Official Bilingualism as a success, totally ignoring that just a minute earlier I had to swith to English because they couldn't understand my French! And these were university-educated types. Scary!
 

El Barto

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Feb 11, 2007
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True. Many do see suggestions of improved efficiency as an attack against sacred cows. I was once called every manner of name for opposing Official Bilingualism once. When I'd pointed out I'm francohone myself, then they started saying I was lying. Once I'd started using French, they started complaining that they couldn't understand me. When I'd switched back to English, they started praising Official Bilingualism as a success, totally ignoring that just a minute earlier I had to swith to English because they couldn't understand my French! And these were university-educated types. Scary!
hahaha thats a good one . But i will agree with you . national bilingual is over rated. It should be were th population needs it. Like the law os supply and demand. Now that said. anyone comming to this country should learn the language of the region they are living in.
Apperently out in BC , not fully sure. but chinese is getting very big out there. English will becom ethe second language if not gone .
 

El Barto

les fesses a l'aire
Feb 11, 2007
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Scrap this 50+1 vot thing
give it a safe majority margin, if not attained the the bill/law be scrapped and started from scratch
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
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hahaha thats a good one . But i will agree with you . national bilingual is over rated. It should be were th population needs it. Like the law os supply and demand. Now that said. anyone comming to this country should learn the language of the region they are living in.
Apperently out in BC , not fully sure. but chinese is getting very big out there. English will becom ethe second language if not gone .

It's true. That was on Rabble.ca

Do you realise that most people in that forum (at least from the impression I got) consider opposition to Official Bilingualism as racist? And they were vehement about it. I've not had to fight like that in Canadiancontent, ever. They wre savages most of them, perhaps the main reason I don't post there much anymore unless it's someting I'm nearly 100% sure they'll agree with so that they can nod in agreement and we can all give each other a collective pat on the back.
 

wulfie68

Council Member
Mar 29, 2009
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Calgary, AB
Now I would love to go the non-partisan path. I'm not saying ban political parties, but make them unofficial,unacknowledged by the government. The ballot would mention the names of candidates, but not parties. There'd be no party caucuses, just a caucus of the whole. And the PM would be elected by the MPs in an open vote. Something similar to what they have in Nunavut. Those Inuit are on to something, and the political parties have every reason to feel thretened by Nunavut's government to which all run and are elected as independents.

When you go back in history, this is what the British parliament was like in the early 19th century: parties were temporary coalitions formed for specific goals as opposed to the monolithic and dogmatic blocks they have become today. To be honest I'm not sure when it changed but apparently some time in the 50 years after the end of the Napoleanic wars and before Canada's Confederation.